Solar hot water and heat pump jobs are a different shape to solar PV. The paperwork leans on the plumber’s compliance record, and the eligibility test starts with the model rather than the installer. This checklist covers what the desk looks for at the time of writing.
Heat pumps and solar hot water systems have their own overview on our hot water STC page. Use this page as the working list when you are building a claim.
Step 1: check the model is registered
Before you quote, confirm that the exact model is on the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) register of eligible solar water heaters and heat pump water heaters.
- Brand and model match the register exactly
- The model was listed on the installation date
- Tank size and configuration match the listing
- Any conditions on the listing are met
If the model is not on the register, the installation cannot create STCs, however good the product is.
Step 2: forms and documents
Gather these for every job.
- STC assignment form, signed by the owner. See the STC assignment form guide.
- Plumbing compliance certificate, where required for the work in your state or territory.
- Installer accreditation, with a current licence and any required accreditation details.
- Invoice or job card showing the installation date, the installation address, the owner’s name, the model and the serial number.
- Electrical documentation where an electrical connection or isolator was installed or altered.
The address, owner name and date should be identical across every document. Differences are a leading cause of delay.
Step 3: take the photo set
Photos should be geo-tagged, time-stamped, in focus and uncropped. See the photo requirements checklist for quality rules.
- Installed unit, full view. The whole unit in position, including the surrounding area.
- Compliance plate. The manufacturer’s plate with model and rating legible.
- Serial number close-up. Every character readable.
- Tank and unit together for heat pumps. If the heat pump has a separate tank and outdoor unit, photograph both and show how they connect.
- Collectors in place for solar hot water. The panels on the roof and the storage tank.
- Safety and tempering valves. Visible with markings.
- Isolator or electrical connection. Where applicable.
Zone and STC count basics
The number of certificates a hot water system creates depends on three things:
| Factor | What it affects |
|---|---|
| Model | Registered performance details for the specific product |
| Climate zone | Where the system is installed, as defined by postcode |
| Rules at the time | The method and factors in force on the installation date |
Climate zone follows the installation postcode, not the installer’s base. Confirm the postcode against the official zone tables, because a job near a zone boundary can fall into a different band than you expect. Use the model’s registered details and the CER’s calculation approach for the final figure, and do not rely on a number copied from an old quote.
For a general discussion of zones and why certificate counts change over time, see deeming period and zone ratings. That article focuses on solar PV, but the idea that rules and counts change over time applies here too.
Step 4: replacement versus new
Many hot water jobs replace an existing electric or gas unit. Record what came out, why and when. How this is classed affects eligibility. The explanation is in installation type: new, replacement or additional.
Common rejections
- Model not on the register on the install date
- Serial on the form does not match the serial in the photo
- Missing plumbing compliance certificate where one is required
- Owner name differs between form and invoice
- Installation date on the invoice not matching the photos
- Photo of the box, not the installed unit
- Heat pump photographed without the tank or outdoor unit
Ready to lodge
- Model checked on the register
- Assignment form complete and signed
- Compliance certificate attached, where required
- Invoice with date, address and serial
- Full photo set
- Old unit details recorded
Send the pack to the desk by email or through your portal. We check it before lodgement and tell you quickly if something is missing. See pricing for today’s STC rate, how it works for the process and start trading to set up your account.